Awesome History, Awful Weather

The post on our full day at Oktoberfest will come later as I want to upload my pictures for it so for now I will move on.  While planning our ten day Euro tour, I had known I wanted to take a day trip after Oktoberfest to a famous Bavarian site.  I had narrowed it down to two choices, Neuschwanstein Castle (Disney's castle is based off this) or Berchtesgaden.  Due to logistics and being a big history/WW2 buff I decided to go with Berchtesgaden.

Where Hitler had his house in Bertsegaden, it was destroyed
by English bombers.  The view the other way was
overlooking the Alps. 

For those who do not know, Berchtesgaden is where Hitler had his second home/Nazi headquarters (outside of Berlin) and made some of the most crucial decisions of that time period including the Blitzkrieg which started the war. The most famous site in Berchtesgaden is Hitler's Eagles nest which most people assume was his home.  It was actually a tea house that was given to him on his 50th birthday party by Martin Borman.  His actual house was 5,000 feet below which is often overlooked by the thousands of tourists who visit Berchtesgaden on each day.  

Stairs that lead deep down into the German
bunker system. 

The remains of the fence that surrounded the secret back door
to Hitler's personal bunker.

The reason I am a sudden expert on the topic is because we did a private five hour tour while visiting.  The tour was through Eagle's Nest Historical tours and we had the option of either a public or private tour.  For 20 euro more, we opted for the private and it was worth our money.  Not only were we not herded on a tour bus with 50 other people, we were able to see a lot more and the tour was given by the owner of the company (owned by him and his wife) and it was actually his wife who showed Tom Hanks around Berchtesgaden when he came to scout for Band of Brothers.

The tunnel that lead to the eagles nest. You can already get a feel
for the weather.

The historical aspect of the tour was fascinating.  We saw the original area of where Hitler had his house which was now destroyed as many other WW2 sites that had relevance to that time region.  We of course visited the Eagle's Nest as well as the German bunker system which included a few areas not open to the public.

The U boat (submarine) engine that Hitler wanted as a backup
generator in case the power ever went out. 

Inside Hitler's elevator to the top of the eagle's nest. 

However, half the reason a lot of people go on the tour is to see the views from the Eagle's nest.  It is located about 6,500 feet above sea leave and over looks both the Austrian and German alps, it has been a view I had been dying to see.  Of course, we had the worst weather I have ever experienced while traveling.  Not only was there a clouds and a light drizzle, there was a dense fog which only allowed you to see 30 yards ahead of you.  It was extremely disappointing and  had we only gone to see the Eagle's Nest I would have been really upset but the private tour and our tour guide made up from the awful weather.  It is also an excuse to some day come back and see it again.  

This is the view we got. 

This is the view I was hoping for.